Power-brake



n (No Model.) I 1 L. P. LAWRENCE. POWER BRAKE.

No. 417,194. y Patented Dec. 10, 1889.

WIT/VESSES: /NVEATH 75' ...41am/mm N. PETERS, Pnom-Lnhngmpher. wnsmngmn. D. c.

i UNITED STATES PATENT OEErcE.

LOUIS P. LAlVRENC/E, OF PASSAIC, NEW JERSEY.

POWER- B RAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 417,194, dated December 10, 1889.

Application filed September 2y l389| Serial No. 322,770. (No model.)

To all wwnt it may concern/.-

Beit known that I, LOUIS P. LAWRENCE, of Passaic, in the county of Passaic, in the State of New Jersey, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Power-Brakes, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to improvements in brakes, operated by means of vacuum, coinpressed air, steam, gas, or any other fluid.

The object of my invention is to provide a brake of this kind, which can be readily applied and which can easily be adjusted to compensate for the wearing olic of the tire.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts and details, as will be fully described and set forth hereinafter, and iinally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a vertical transverse sectional view of my improved brake on the line :r at, Fig. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of my ilnproved brake. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line ,1/ y, Fig. 2. Fig. if is a vert-ical detail sectional view on line w w, Fig. l. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional. view on line o r, Fig. l.

Similar letters oi reference indicate corresponding parts.

The cylinder or chamber A is provided with the side flanges A A2, united at the top and bottom of the cylinder `by the curved end pieces A3. The iiange A extends beyond the top and bottom of the cylinder or chamber, and also beyond the front of the same, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2,' and is provided at both ends with apertures for receiving bolts for screwing it to the locomotiveframe.

The cylinderor chamber A is provided with a head B, provided at its center with a projection B', forming a central depression or recess in the inner surface of said head. A diaphragm C, made of rubber, leather, canvas, or any other suitable airtight material, is clamped along its edges between the edges of the cylinder or chamber A and the head B, and rests on the inner surface of the frontof the cylinder or chamber. The piston D rests on the said diaphragm, and is provided at its center with the tubular projection E, extending in the direction toward the head B, on the center of which projection a stud or knob F is formed, around which one end of a helical spring F is placed, the opposite end of the helical spring, which has greater diameter, resting in the pocket or recess formed in the inner surface oi' the cylinder-head by the projection B, said spring bearing against the piston and pressing the same against the diaphragm C.

The piston D is provided on its front side with two tubular projections ll, each having a longitudinal slot H', extending from the pisl ton to within a short distance from the outer end of the projections, said projections passj ing through suitable apertures provided for the same in the diaphragm. These projections H also pass into elliptical or like poc-kets J, formed on the front of the cylinder or chamber A, the side walls of which pockets are connected by ribs or wings J with the walls of the cylindrical compartment K, formed on front of the cylinder and connected by ribs K with the side flanges A and A2.

In the compartment K a hub L is placed, which has a screw-threaded bore and two opposite external lugs )Lwhich pass into notches N in the shorter ends of levers N, pivoted by bolts O between the ribs J', the opposite ends of said levers N projecting int-o the slots H of the projections .ll and resting on the inner surface ot the outer end parts of the projections. The bolts O pass through the outer iiange A2 of the cylinder or chamber A and through the ribs J as shown in Fig..l.

Into the scre\\.f'-threaded bore of the hub L a screw-threaded block P is screwed, which is provided with a polygonal aperture for receiving one end of the polygonal push-pin Q, the opposite end of which rests in a recess or groove in the back of the brake-shoe R.

A packingring S, made ol' rubber or other suitable material, is coun tersunk in a groove in. the opening of the block P, and surrounds the puslrpin Q and prevents undue rattling.

The brake-shoe R is suspended from a curved link T, pivoted to the shoe and mounted to swing on a bolt U, passed through the flange A2 and ribs A4 of the chamber or cylinder A, said bolt being provided near its IOO tion of the arrow a".

outer end with an annular groove d, for receiving the upper end of the spring-pressed latch-lever b, mounted to swing on one of the pins O. The upper part of the back of the brake-shoe rests against an adjusting-screw IV, screwed into the link T at the bend, by means of which screw the shoe can be adjusted to hang in the proper position in relation to the rim of the wheel.

The cylinder or chamber A is provided at the top and bottom with a neck d, to which the pipe for eXh austing the air can be coupled, this pipe being' connected with the upper neck, the lower end being closed.

Two necks are provided to permit of using the device on either side of the wheels.

m is an aperture in the front of the cylinde'rfor Cthe passage of the air.

The cylinder or chamber A and the piston therein are curved 'and made concentric with the wheel-tire. This greatly facilitates fastening and securing the said cylinder or chamber on the frame of the locomotive.

lByslightly altering the construction and arrangement of parts the brake can be operated by compressed air as well as by vacu um. The operation is as follows: Ordinarily lthe piston 'D rests against the diaphragm,as shown in Fig. 2. lVhen the air is exhausted from that ypart of the chamber A between the piston and head B, the exterior air acting on the piston presses the same in the direction of thearrow Qc', Fig. 2, and thereby the projections I-I are moved in the same direction and pull those ends of the levers N within them also in the direction of the arrow 4r. Thereby the shorter ends of the levers N are moved in the inverse direction, and as they engage the 'hub they move said hub, the block P, and the push-pin Q in the inverse direction of the arrow ac and press the shoe R against the rim of the wheel, and at the same time the spring F is compressed. IVhen the vacuum is'destroyed-that is, when the brakes are to be released-the weight of the brake-shoe presses the push-pin AQ, block P, and hub L in the direction of the arrow te', and thereby7 the piston D is moved in the inverse direc- The spring F assists in pressing the piston against the diaphragm. The levers N multiply the power produced by exhausting the air from the space between the piston D and head B, and thus with a comparatively small piston area very great power can be obtained. lVhen it is desired to remove the link (Z, from which the brake-shoe is suspended, it is only necessary to press the lower end of the latch I) against its spring', so as to disengage its top end from the bolt U, thus permitting of witl'idrawing said-bolt. As thc shoe wears off, the block P must be moved outward according to the wear of the shoe. This is easilyaccomplished by turning the push-pin Q by means of a suitable key or other implement, whereby the block P is also turned and screwed into or out of the hub, as the said push-bar and the aperture in the block P for receiving it are mfa'de polygonal.

' Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination, with a cylinder or chamber and a piston in the same, of levers pivoted Vwithin said cylinder or chamber and acted upon by the piston in said cylinder or chamber, substantially as set forth.

2. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder or chamber and a piston in the same, of a brake-slice push-bar and pivoted levers for transmitting the motion and power from the piston to the brake-slice push-bar, substantially as set forth.

3. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder or chamber and apiston in the same, of levers pivoted in said cylinder or chamber and'acte'd upon by the piston and a bar acted upon by said levers, substantially as set forth.

Lt. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder or chamber and a piston in the saine, o f lugs projecting 4from the piston, ylevers pivoted on the cylinder or chamber, which levers project into said lugs, a hub'actuated by said levers, anda push-bar actuated by said hub, substantially as set'fort'h.

5. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder or chamber and a piston in the same, of levers pivoted on said cylinder or chamber and acted upon by the piston, a -hub acted upon by said levers, a block mounted adj ustably in the hub, and a push-bar in said block, substantially asset forth.

6. In a power-brake, the combination, with a cylinder or chamber and a piston "in the saine, of levers pivoted on said chamber lor cylinder and an adjustable push-bar actuated by said levers, substantially as set forth. l

Y 7. In a power-brake, the vcombination.,with a cylinder or chamber, of a piston in "the same, levers pivoted on the cylinder orchainber and actuated by the piston, ahubactuated by said levers, a block screwed intois'aid hub andhaving a polygonal aperture -and "a polygonal push-bar .in said block, substantially as set forth.

S. In a power-brake, the combination, with a chamber or cylinder and a piston inthe same, of a hub, mechanism for actuating said hub from the piston, a block screwedu'i'nto said hub Vand having a polygonal aperture, and a polygonal 4push-bar in said aperture, substantially as set forth.

t). In a power-brake, thecombination,with a cylinder or chamber and Vapiston ljiji the same, of a hub and mechanismformoviugit from the piston,a block in said lhublprovided with va polygonal aperture, packing-ring in said aperture, and a polygonal push-bar passed through said packing-'ring and in'tb the aperture in theblock, substantially'as set forth. n y

IO. In a-power-brake, the'combinatin, with a cylinder or chamber, of a piston 'in the same, of slotted lugs projecting from said pis- IOO IIC

ton, levers pivoted on the cylinder or Chaniber and having their ends passed into the slots in said lugs, said levers having notches in their opposite ends and a hub having opposite lugs that pass into notches in the ends diaphragm and having two slotted lugs passed through the apertures in the diaphragm, piv

oted levers having ends in the slots of the lugs, a hub engaged by the opposite ends of said levers, and a push-bar in said hub, substantially as set forth.

13. In a power-brake, a cylinder or chainber made in segmental shape and curved on the same center as the wheel-tire, substantially asset forth. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as lny invention I have signed iny name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS P. LAWRENCE. lVitnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, W. REIMHERR. 

